Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 3677/89 as regards the total alcoholic strength by volume of certain quality wines imported from Hungary and Romania
Date: 1994-09-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Romania, alcohol, designation of origin, import, vinification, wine of superior quality

COMVIISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0M(94) 395 final 

Brussels, 27.09.1994 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION  (EC) 

amending  Regulation  (EEC) No  3677/89  as  regards  the 

total  alcoholic  strength  by  volume  of  certain 

quality  wines  imported  from  Hungary  and  Romania 

(presented  by the Commission) 

Explanatory  memorandum 

z 

Under  Regulation  (EEC) No  36 77/89,  since  the  end  of  1989  the  Community  has 
granted  a derogation  from  the  "Community  15*  vol. ale.  rule"  for  certain 
high-quality  wines  originating  in  Hungary  (in particular  Tokaj  wines), 
permitting  the  import  into  the  Community  of  wines  having  a  total  alconolic 
strength  by  volume  above  the  usual maximum  limit  of  15'i. This  derogation, 
granted  to  Hungary  for  an  initial  trial  period  of  nine  months  and  then 
extended  several  times  pending  the  conclusion  of  a bilateral  agreement  on 
trade  in wine  between  the  Community  and  Hungary,  expired  on  31 August  1994. 

The  purpose  of  this  proposal  is  to  grant  that  derogation  for  an  indefinite 
period,  as  the  Community  committed  itself  to  doing  when  concluding  the 
Agreement  with  Hungary  on  the  reciprocal  protection  and  control  of  wine 
names.  In  addition,  and  in  accordance  with  the  undertaking  made-on  the 
conclusion  of  the  similar  Agreement  with  Romania,  this  proposal  provides  for 
a  similar  indefinite  derogation  forcertain  nigh-quality  Romanian  wines. The 
two  Agreements  referred  to  above  entered  into  force  on  1 March  1994  (Romania) 
and  1 April  1994  (Hungary). 

Budgetary  consequences:  this  proposal  has  no  financial  consequences  for  the 

Community  budget. 

_Iiripact_  on  SMEn : 

t h ei  e  w i ll  be  no  impact  on  t he  coinpot  i t i vene:;:;  ol 
SME:.  and  no  a d d i t i on 

t h e ir  c o s t s. 

to 

J 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC) No  ..../94 

Of 

..1994 

amending  Regulation  (EEC) No  3677/89  as  regards  the 
total  alcoholic  strength  by  volume  of  certain 
quality  wines  imported  from  Hungary  and  Romania 

THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community, 

Having  regard  to  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  822/87  of  16 March  1987  on  the 

common  organization  of  the  market  in  wine<*),  as  last  amended  by 

Regulation  (EEC) No  1891/94(2),  and  in particular  Article  70(2)  thereof, 

Having  regard  to  the  proposal  from  the  Commission, 

Whereas  under  Article  70(1)(b) of  Regulation  (EEC) No  822/87,  wines 

intended  for  direct: human  consumption,  other  than  sparkling  wines  and 

liqueur  wines, originating  in  third  countries  may  not  be  imported  into  the 

Community  if  they  have  a  total  alcoholic  strength  by  volume  exceeding  15% 

vol; 

Whereas  under  Council  Regulation  (EEC) No  3677/89  of  7 December  1989  on  the 

total  alcoholic  strength  by  volume  and  the  total  acidity  of  certain 

imported  quality  wines  and  repealing  Regulation  (EEC)  No  2931/80(-*),  as 

last  amended  by  Regulation  (EEC) No  2606/93<4),  a derogation  was  granted 

from  this  principle  for  certain  third-country  wines  pursuant  to 

Article  70(2)(a)  of  Regulation  (EEC) No  822/87;  whereas  the  derogation 

applicable  to  certain  Hungarian  wines  was  granted  for  a  trial  period  which 

expired  on  31 August  1994; 

(1) OJ  No  L  84,  27.3.1987, p.  1. 
(2) OJ  No  L  19 7,  3 0.7.1994,  p. 42. 
(3) OJ  No  L  2 32,  9.8.1989,  p.  1. 
(4) OJ  No  L  239,  24.9.1993,  p.  6. 

V 

Whereas  on  conclusion  of  the  Agreements  between  the  European  Community  and 

Hungary  and  Romania  on  the  reciprocal  protection  and  control  of  wine 

n a m e s P)  the  community  undertook  to  grant  the  derogation  applicable  to 

Hungarian  wines  for  an  indefinite  period  and  to  grant  a  similar  derogation 

for  certain  high-quality  wines  originating  in  Romania;  «whereas  Regulation 

(EEC) No  3677/89  must  therefore  be  amended  accordingly, 

HAS ADOPTED  THIS  REGULATION: 

Article  1 

Article  1 of  Regulation  (EEC) No  3677/89  is  hereby  amended  as  follows: 

l.The  following  point  (d)  is  added  to  paragraph  1: 

"(d)  wines  originating  in Romania, whose  total  alcoholic  strength  by 

volume  exceeds  157. vol, without  enrichment,  where  they  are 

designated  by  "VSOC"  or  "Vinuri  de  calitate  superioara  cu 

denumire  de  origine  si  trepte  de  calitate"  (wine  of  superior 

quality  with  a designation  of  origin  and  degree  of  quality)  and 

having  one  of  the  following  geographic  indications: 

Cernavoda 

Cotnari 

Medgidia 

Murfatlar 

Nazarcea 

Pietroasa." 

/.  In  paragraph  2,  the words  "For  the  purposes  of  paragraph  1(b) and  (e)," 

are  replaced  by  "For  the  purposes  of  paragraph  1(b), (c) and  ( d ) , ". 

3. Paragraph  3  is  deleted. 

(5) OJ  No  L  337,  31.12.1993,  pp  94  and  178. 

Article  1 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the 

official Journal of the European Communities-

Article  1^3^  however,, shall apply from i September 1994-

This Regulation shall be binding in its «ntixety and directly applicable in 

all Ites&er States. 

Done at 

fir^ssels, 

F*ar tëh* Council 

3*be f»resiaâ«nt 

6 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(94) 395  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

1103 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-94-415-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-80639-7 

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